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      Barcelona ‘charged with BRIBERY’ as Spanish champions face Champions League ban over referee payments

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      BARCELONA could be banned from the Champions League after being charged with allegedly bribing referees.Back in March, SunSport reported the Catalan giants could be axed from Europe’s elite competition if they are found guilty.
      Barcelona could be banned from the Champions League if found guiltyCredit: EPA
      The Catalan giants last lifted the Champions League back in 2015Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Now Spanish outlet El Debate are reporting that judge Joaquin Aguirre has accused Barcelona of bribery.
      This relates to £6million in payments to Jose Maria Enruquez Negreira – former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
      Ex-Barcelona presidents Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell have both been charged, along with Negreira and his son Javier Enriquez Romero.
      The LaLiga champions are accused of breaching a law which bans officials from receiving reward for their performances of public duties.
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      The Supreme Court have classified Negreira as an individual who was performing a public function.
      The charges allege that Negreira was given cash through a shell company set up by ex-Barcelona director Josep Contreras.
      It is also alleged Contreras earned 50 per cent commission from this transaction.
      Former ref Alberto Gimenez has also accused Negreira of labelling him a “chicken” in a “secret match-fixing meeting”.
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      He told RadioMarca: “Negreira pressured me. He met me with other referees and told me: ‘Hey chicken, be careful with what you say on television. You already understand me. Be careful’.
      “There is a formula for fixing matches. It’s a fool’s trap: I’m a friend of ‘such and such’ who will support you, you give me so much and I’ll fix it for you.
      “If the result is negative, the money is returned. If he wins, he is marked for life. If he loses and returns the money, he has another chance.”

      LaLiga president Javier Tebas previously urged Barca president Laporta to explain the situation.
      The club’s vice-president, Rafael Yuste, then claimed they had hired a law firm to begin an investigation.
      Yuste also claimed the payments to Negreira’s Dasnil company ended in 2018.
      One of the potential punishments for Barcelona includes a Champions League ban.
      The Spanish side have not won the competition since 2015 and were eliminated in the group stage in each of the past two seasons. More

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      Ex-Premier League footballer and racehorse owner claims he’s living off £250-a-week while trying to fight speeding fine

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      A FORMER Premier League football star has claimed he’s living off £250 a week while trying to fight a speeding fine.Ex-England Under-21 international and racehorse owner Alan Rogers was punished for speeding in his new Tesla electric car.
      Alan Rogers played in the Premier League for Nottingham ForestCredit: Getty
      He was caught driving his £50,000 Model Y at 51mph in a 40mph zone.
      But the former footballer’s lawyer said he had no pension and was struggling to make ends meet renting out properties.
      Rogers, a defender for Nottingham Forest and Leicester City, had faced being banned from driving under the totting-up procedure.
      But charges of failing to provide a document were dropped at Wirral Magistrates’ Court, where the 46-year-old was fined £50 for speeding.
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      His barrister Daniel Bramhall told the court: “In terms of his income he is currently not employed. He is retired.
      “He has no access to a pension. He is paid £250 per week as a result of renting out properties. Those properties are part of his pension.
      “I ask for the fine to be as low as possible and for his licence to be endorsed with three penalty points. There are no penalty points on his licence.”
      Rogers, from Ormskirk in Lancashire, was part of manager Dave Bassett’s Forest team which won promotion to the top flight in 1998.
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      He had joined the East Midlands side from Tranmere Rovers the previous year for £2million, a record sum for the Merseyside club.
      His account on X, formerly Twitter, describes him as: ”Proud Ex professional footballer and race horse owner. I am now a full time crypto trader/angel investor/researcher.”
      The magistrates’ court listing said he failed to respond to a traffic section 172 notice for a second time after his Tesla Model Y Long Range AWD was caught speeding in February this year.
      He had previously failed to respond to a section 172 notice in August last year after his previous 2021-registered Tesla Model 3 Standard Range was alleged to have committed a traffic offence in Manchester.
      Section 172 notices stipulate a registered keeper of a vehicle should notify police of the identity of a driver when the car has been caught speeding or another traffic offence.
      The penalty for failing to respond can be a fine and six points on a driving licence.
      But Rogers already had six points wiped off his licence at a hearing before Liverpool magistrates last month, after arguing he had not received the first section 172 notice.
      He has also now successfully argued he did not receive the second section 172 notice.
      Rogers admitted one speeding matter, driving his Tesla at 51 mph in a 40mph zone at 10.49am on February 17, along the A49 in Maghull, Merseyside.
      ENGLAND UNDER-21 CAPS
      Mr Bramhall told magistrates: “Mr Rogers was due to attend today because consideration was going to be given as to whether he ought to be disqualified.
      “But had Mr Rogers received the original section 172 notice he would have responded to that and a plea to the original speeding offence would have been accepted.
      “In all likelihood he would have been offered a speed awareness course – through no fault of his own, he did not receive that letter.”
      Rogers was also ordered to pay £50 costs.
      During his four years at Forest the defender scored 17 goals in 137 appearances and also won three England Under-21 caps in 1998.
      His other clubs included Wigan Athletic, Hull City and Bradford City before a knee injury ended his playing career in 2007 while at Accrington Stanley.
      He later took up coaching roles, including spells as caretaker manager at Tranmere in 2015 and boss of non-league Skelmersdale United two years later.
      Outside football, Rogers was reported in 2010 by the Liverpool Echo to be preparing to sue Merseyside Police for lost earnings of £1million.
      That was after his Liverpool nightclub Cube was forcibly closed due to concerns of violence.
      The £1.25million club in the city centre, covering four floors, opened in 2008 but was first shut down in March 2009 after allegations of assaults.
      His lawyers stated police were unable to provide any evidence of his links to Fitzgibbon when challenged by the city council’s licensing committee and that no one had been convicted of any offences inside or outside the club.
      Cops said at the time no claim for damages was received but that licensing conditions for the club had been amended.
      Rogers admitted assaulting a business rival at Chorley Magistrates’ Court in April 2018, for which he was given a conditional discharge, the Echo also reported.
      He later vented his anger at the Professional Footballers Association in 2019, telling the Daily Mail there had been a lack of support for retired footballers.
      Rogers said the PFA had “gone missing” after he sought help and advice when facing a financial ruin when a property investment went wrong.
      He said he had put £500,000 into a project to convert a pub into apartments but when the property failed to secure planning permission ended up selling it property at auction for £30,000.
      He also said he got no response when he applied to the PFA for a grant for an operation on his knee to help in his coaching career.
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      The PFA said at the time it had offered support to Rogers regarding his investment concerns in 2015 but he had not taken it up.
      The footballer’s union said it had not received the required information about any request for medical support.
      Rogers featured for Forest in the top flight after helping them win promotion in 1998Credit: Getty
      He scored against Manchester United in February 1999 though Forest lost 8-1Credit: Getty
      Rogers was at Forest for four years before joining Leicester City in 2001Credit: Getty More

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      Ex-England star Jesse Lingard apologises as he admits drink-driving in his £200k Lamborghini – and is fined £57k

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      EX-ENGLAND star Jesse Lingard has apologised after he admitted drink-driving in his £200,000 Lamborghini – and was fined £57,000.The former Manchester United footballer, 30, had only owned the flash motor for three months when he was stopped by cops on July 8 in Manchester while double the alcohol limit.
      Jesse Lingard leaving court today after he was fined a week’s wagesCredit: Steve Allen
      He was caught drink driving behind the wheel of his LamborghiniCredit: Eamonn and James Clarke
      Lingard admitted the driving offenceCredit: Steve Allen
      Tara Riley, prosecuting, said that an officer who was following his Lamborghini Uris became aware it was being driven at speed.
      The the officer’s “initial belief”, she said, was Lingard’s vehicle was racing another high-performance car.
      “He doesn’t believe 100 per cent they were racing but they were driving at speed,” she said.
      She said the officer spoke to Lingard at the roadside and believed he was under the influence of alcohol due to his behaviour.
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      A breath test revealed 76 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath – the legal limit is 35 micrograms per 100 millilitres of breath.
      Frank Rogers, representing Lingard, described the player’s actions as “out of character”.
      Mr Rogers said Lingard had initially been out for a meal with friends and only drunk soft drinks.
      He’d intended going home but had then received a call from a “fellow professional footballer” and driven to Manchester to have a “few drinks” with him.
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      Mr Rogers said Lingard had “mistakenly” believed he had left sufficient time to drive home, describing it as “spontaneous decision”.
      A personal assistant, who would normally drive Lingard in such circumstances, wasn’t working, he said.
      Mr Rogers denied Lingard had been “racing” and the two-“high-performance cars” were sitting at lights at the time
      He said Lingard had shown remorse for his actions and it was “apparent how heavily this weighs on him”.
      Mr Rogers said that his client would pay a “heavy price” in the future as his career and family – to whom he has large financial commitments- would be impacted.
      He added that Lingard – who is currently without a club after being released by Nottingham Forest – was training with West Ham, who were considering offering him a contract, and other offers were “in the pipeline”.
      When pressed by district judge Joanne Hirst how much Lingard currently earned, Mr Rogers told the court it was £249,000 a month, or £57,000 a week.
      The judge told Lingard the case had aggravating features, including  him being twice over the limit, saying: “One wonders who would have cared for your entire family had you killed yourself or someone else.”
      The judge told him that he would be punished in the same way as anyone else before the court – a week’s earnings.
      She also added a £2,000 victim surcharge, meaning Lingard must £59,000 in total, and banned him from driving for 18-months, to run concurrently with an existing six-month ban.
      Lingard said in a statement: “I want to acknowledge my mistake and publicly apologise for my unacceptable actions.
      “I completely understand and accept the consequences of my mistake by putting the lives of others at risk.
      “I am sorry to all my fans anyone who has followed and supported me throughout my career.
      “I accept the sentence of the court and the fine.”
      It is the second time Lingard will appear before magistrates in less than two months.
      He was previously banned from driving after he failed to name the driver when his car was caught speeding.
      The midfielder’s Range Rover was flashed by a speed camera on the A56 in Trafford last year.
      Lingard, 30, then failed to give police the the name of the driver when he received a speeding notice at his home.
      He pleaded guilty to failing to provide information about who was driving his vehicle at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.
      The star was fined £900 with a further £560 in costs and banned from the roads for six months.
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      The ban came under a “totting up” process as Lingard already had points on his licence from two previous speeding offences.
      His lawyer claimed he was not the driver but missed the letter telling him to provide the drivers’ details as it went to his old address in Manchester while he was then living in Nottingham.
      Lingard playing for Nottingham Forest in MarchCredit: Getty More

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      Footballer, 33, who took cops on high speed chase before crashing 100k Range Rover and running from scene dodges jail

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      A FOOTBALLER who led police on a high speed chase in a £100,000 Range Rover ran off after smashing into a parked car.Gary Madine, 33, who has played up front for Sheffield Wednesday, Bolton Wanderers and Blackpool, roared around in his Range Rover with police on his tail.
      Blackpool’s Gary Madine walks off the pitch after being shown a red card during the Sky Bet Championship match at Bloomfield Road, Blackpool on Feb 7 2023Credit: PA
      Damage to Gary Madine’s Range RoverCredit: NCJMedia
      Madine ran from the scene after crashing into a parked carCredit: NCJMedia
      Locals were asleep as Madine sped through Birtley, Gateshead during the early hours of April 3.
      Madine, who has previous convictions for violence, decided to floor the SUV rather than pull over when cops arrived.
      Newcastle Crown Court heard how Madine behaved in a “ridiculously stupid” way when officers turned up to reports of a disturbance in the early hours of the morning.
      Mark Atkins, prosecuting, said: “The vehicle began to make off and ignored instructions by the police to stop.
      “The police officer got into his car and followed the defendant and activated his blue lights and siren.
      “During the police pursuit, he drove dangerously. There’s footage of the pursuit from the dash cam of the police car.
      “During the chase, the defendant collided with a white Ford Focus parked outside a house on a path.”
      The impact of that crash caused a post box to be knocked over and caused damage to the Ford and the Range Rover.
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      Madine tried to continue driving but was unable to do so due to the damage, and after around 40m he got out and ran off, along with his passenger.
      However as he was the registered keeper of the car, he was easily traced. However he failed to respond to a notice requesting information on who was driving at the time.
      The 33-year-old, of Bede Way, Birtley, who has four previous convictions for violence but a clean driving licence, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving, failing to stop after an accident, failing to stop for police and failing to provide information regarding the driver of a vehicle.
      Recorder Paul Reid sentenced him to six months suspended for 18 months with 250 hours unpaid work and a 12 month driving ban with a requirement he sit an extended test before he can get his licence back.
      The judge said: “It’s a mystery why people in your position do this, I suspect you made off from the police because you didn’t want to be breathalysed but I disregard that, the circumstances of this are bad enough.
      “I’m impressed with the pre-sentence report and character references and the letter you have written yourself. You described this as an act of stupidity. It’s fortunate it didn’t result in worse damage or injury to other people.”
      Shaun Routledge, defending, said Madine had “panicked”, adding: “2023 has been a difficult year for him, his relationship of some years ending and he suffered a serious injury which led to nine months of rehabilitation and not being able to perform the job he has done for many years. He was feeling very low in April.”
      Mr Routledge said Madine’s “profession depends on his full recovery”, adding: “There are offers from other clubs.
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      “Blackpool have been very supportive in terms of rehab. It may be he gets a way back into what he has done all his adult life but he may not. He realises what he did was ridiculously stupid.”
      Madine in action for Blackpool against Rangers last yearCredit: Willie Vass
      Gary Madine leaves Newcastle Quayside Law Courts.Credit: NCJMedia
      Gary Madine, who admitted dangerous drivingCredit: NCJMedia More

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      I was abused by Barry Bennell when I was on a youth team – Gary Speed was among four he coached who took their lives

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      ONE of Barry Bennell’s young victims told how ex-Premier League star Gary Speed was among four men who later took their own lives having been coached by the serial paedophile.Former Wales international midfielder and manager Speed played for one of the junior football teams run by sex offender Bennell, who has died in prison aged 70.
      Premier League star Gary Speed was coached as a kid by Barry BennellCredit: PA:Press Association
      Serial paedophile Bennell has died in jail aged 70Credit: PA
      One of Bennell’s victims told a Liverpool Crown Court trial in 2018 how he tried to contact Speed’s parents after their son hanged himself at the age of 42 in November 2011.
      Speed was Wales manager at the time of his death, having played in the Premier League for Leeds United, Everton, Newcastle United and Bolton Wanderers.
      Bennell’s death was confirmed this afternoon by the Prison Service.
      The Sun understands that the paedophile, who had cancer, died on Saturday morning at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire.
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      Bennell had worked in the 1980s and 1990s as a youth coach at Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City.
      He also had links to youth teams across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Greater Manchester and Staffordshire, exploiting his position to sexually abuse young boys.
      Bennell was first put behind bars for four years in the United States in 1994 after abusing a 13-year-old British boy at a football camp in Florida.
      He later returned to Britain, where his lengthy record as a predator was exposed in 1997 by Channel 4’s Dispatches film Soccer’s Foul Play.
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      Bennell was imprisoned for nine years at Chester Crown Court after admitting 23 charges dating back to the 1970s.
      He confessed in 2015 to enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in the early 1980s, receiving a further two years in jail.
      More courageous victims then came forward after ex-footballer Andy Woodward went public with how he had been groomed and abused by Bennell for four years, starting when he was aged only 11.
      Bennell was found guilty of more than 50 sexual offences against 22 boys at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018 and sentenced to 34 years.
      That trial heard from a victim who brought up Speed’s name, as he told the court: “Four people from teams I have played with, with Bennell, have taken their own lives.
      “Whether they have taken their lives due to Barry solely, I don’t know, but all I know is how it’s had an impact on me and how it could impact on other people.”
      Speed’s mum Carol has said her son was interviewed twice by police over Bennell and insisted he was never assaulted.
      And his dad Gary said: “I don’t think so – Gary wouldn’t have it. Honestly, no way.
      “He was old enough in the head even at that age he knew what he wanted. He was a clever lad.”
      But an alleged witness claimed Bennell assaulted him while Gary was in the same bed — and said he was “99.9 per cent certain” the future star suffered the same sickening treatment.
      Bennell’s death on Saturday came at HMP Littlehey, a prison for sex offenders.
      Eight men abused by Bennell are reportedly appealing after having their damages claim against Manchester City dismissed by the High Court.
      An inquest into Speed’s death recorded a narrative verdict, saying he died from “self-suspension” but with the coroner unable to say whether he intended to kill himself.
      Hours before his death Speed had appeared as a guest on BBC1 show Football Focus.
      He then watched Newcastle play at Old Trafford against Manchester United alongside former team-mate Alan Shearer, before driving home to Huntington in Cheshire.
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      His widow Louise, who discovered his body, later revealed a poignant letter he wrote about his mental health struggles when aged just 17.
      Louise suffered more heartbreak earlier this year when her new husband Quinton Bird died from brain cancer aged 53.
      If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123.
      Midfielder Speed’s last club was Sheffield United before he became Wales managerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bennell was given a 34-year prison term at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018Credit: PA:Press Association More

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      Barry Bennell dead – Paedo football coach who abused more than 20 boys while working at top clubs dies in prison aged 70

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      PAEDO football coach Barry Bennell has died in prison aged 70 – after he abused more than 20 boys at top clubs.The Sun understands that the predator, who had cancer, died at HMP Littlehey in Cambridgeshire on Saturday morning.
      Paedo coach Barry Bennell has died in prisonCredit: PA
      The predator abused more than 20 boysCredit: PA:Press Association
      Bennell was a youth coach at Crewe Alexandra, Manchester City and Stoke City in the 1980s and 1990s.
      He also had links to youth teams across Cheshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Greater Manchester – and used his position to sexually abuse boys.
      The paedo was first jailed for four years in the US in 1994 after he abused a 13-year-old British boy at a football camp in Florida.
      Bennell returned to the UK, where his broader record as an predator was exposed by the 1997 Channel 4 Dispatches film Soccer’s Foul Play.
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      He was jailed for nine years at Chester Crown Court after admitting 23 offences dating back to the 1970s.
      In 2015 Bennell pleaded guilty to enticing a boy under the age of 14 to commit an act of gross indecency in the early 1980s – and was jailed for two more years.
      More brave victims came forward after footballer Andy Woodward revealed he had been groomed and abused by Bennell for four years, starting when he was just 11.
      He was convicted of more than 50 sexual offences against 22 boys at Liverpool Crown Court in 2018.
      Most read in Football
      Handing the monster a 34-year jail term, the judge described him as the “devil incarnate”.
      Bennell was jailed at HMP Littlehey, a prison for sex offenders in Cambridgeshire.
      The court heard how Bennell contacted one of his former victims through Facebook to tell him that his cancer diagnosis was “payback”.
      Eight men abused by Bennell are reportedly appealing after the High Court dismissed their damages claim against Manchester City.
      One of the men slammed City’s “callous” compensation scheme for Bennell’s victims.
      A Prison Service spokeswoman said: “Prisoner Barry Bennell died at HMP Littlehey on 16 September 2023.
      “As with all deaths in custody, the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman will investigate.” More

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      Pro footballer who crashed his car and smashed into driver after taking laughing gas is jailed

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      A PRO footballer has been jailed for a year for causing a horrific car crash after taking laughing gas.Flynn Clarke’s BMW swerved into the opposite carriageway in April last year – and into a motorhome.
      Flynn Clarke has been jailed for a year for causing a car crash after taking laughing gasCredit: Getty
      A court heard the Norwich City player, 20, lost control after clipping a kerb while exiting a roundabout.
      The driver of the motorhome which suffered significant injuries, while a male passenger in the BMW said he feared he’d never walk again.
      Clarke, who has also played for Scotland’s under-21 side, admitted three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
      Peterborough Crown Court heard he also accepts having used nitrous oxide – more commonly known as laughing gas.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      However, there were “unclear and conflicting accounts” whether it had been taken at the time or immediately prior to the collision.
      Jailing Clarke for 12 months and banning him from driving for 30 months, Judge Sean Enright said his actions had led to “immense harm”.
      Prosecutors said witnesses had described the young professional footballer driving in an “indecisive manner” and struggling to stay in his lane prior to the crash, which occurred on the A47 near Thorney, Cambs.
      He was driving with his girlfriend in the front passenger seat and three male friends in the back, the court was told.
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      Clarke’s BMW then swerved into the opposite carriageway and ploughed head-on into a motorhome.
      The owner of the motorhome vehicle, a HGV driver, said he has been unable to work since the crash which left him with a fractured pelvis, knee, hip and ankle.
      He has since been forced to undergo multiple operations including a hip replacement.
      In a victim impact statement read to the court, he added that his injuries had left him unable to do things he previously took for granted – including playing football with his grandson.
      The victim said: “Over the last 16 months I have been in pain and discomfort.
      “This incident sends a shiver up my back when I think of it, and how the consequences should have been very different.”
      A 21-year-old passenger in Clarke’s BMW told the court he’d feared he may never walk again after being airlifted to hospital with internal bleeding, having sustained a broken collar bone, sternum and vertebrae.
      The young man added he could be in pain for the rest of his life and that, while Clarke did not set out to cause the crash, he “has to live with the consequences”.
      Clarke’s defence counsel, Tommy Dominguez KC, said the crash had occurred due to a “momentary lapse of concentration” and added that Clarke had shown “significant remorse”.
      “He has not looked to offer any excuses,” he said. “He has taken full responsibility for his actions.”
      The court was also told Norwich City was likely to terminate the footballer’s employment if he was sent to prison.
      Judge Enright also banned Clarke from driving for 30 months.
      Clarke, born in Peterborough, Cambs., was signed by Norwich in 2021 after just a handful of senior appearances for Peterborough United.
      He had a brief loan spell with League Two club Walsall last year and was signed on loan earlier this month by National League outfit Dagenham & Redbridge.
      He made his debut for Scotland’s U21 side in September last year and was on the score sheet during a 1-1 draw with Northern Ireland.
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      In a statement, Norwich City said they would ‘”consider the matter internally in accordance with its own disciplinary procedure”.
      It is currently not illegal to possess or use nitrous oxide. However, earlier this week MPs voted in favour of making it a Class C drug. More

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      I’m David Ginola’s secret lovechild – we met for first time in 28 years, he said I was ‘a real Ginola’ then cut me out

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      FOOTIE legend  David Ginola’s lovechild has revealed she met him for the first time after 28 years and he said “Yes, you are a real Ginola” — then cut her adrift again.Joy Pinquier wept as the former France international finally admitted he is her dad and hugged her during an emotional meeting in her home town of Marseille.
      Joy Pinquier wept as former France international footballer David Ginola embraced her after nearly three decades apartCredit: Louis Wood
      Joy now says dad David has cut her adrift ever since their emotional meetingCredit: Rex
      David had met mum Joelle Pinquier in France where he was playing his football at the time
      But now devastated Joy claims she feels abandoned all over again  as following their hour-long meeting he severed any further contact.
      In an exclusive interview Joy said: “He looked me up and down and said, ‘Yes, you are a real Ginola.’ I replied, ‘Why did you ever doubt it?’
      “He took me in his arms and embraced me and it was a very special moment.
      “I had tears in my eyes because it was the hug I had always dreamed of having with my dad.
      READ MORE DAVID GINOLA
      “We talked for about an hour and it felt like we were connecting.
      “He kept saying we would go to a restaurant to get to know each other better but, 18 months later, I still haven’t seen him.”
      Ginola, 56, agreed to meet Joy after appearing on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2021.
      Joy, now 30, said: “Two years ago I wrote to him through his Instagram account and, much to my surprise, he replied.
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      “I gave him my phone number and he called. We must have spoken on the phone for about two hours and after that we started exchanging messages on WhatsApp.
      “One day I saw he was going to Marseille, where I live, to play boules with his friends. I decided to head over to meet him.
      “I sent a text to let him know I was there and, as I walked over, I saw he had a big smile on his face. Now I realise that he never had any interest in being my father, he was just being polite.
      “It’s a horrible thing to say, but I feel like I have been abandoned a second time.”
      David with ex-wife Coraline, who is mum to his son Andrea and daughter CarlaCredit: Getty
      The meeting came despite Ginola refusing to have contact with her for the first 28 years of her life.
      He was married and already had his first son Andrea, now 31, with model wife Coraline, 54 — also mum to his 28-year-old daughter Carla — when Joy was conceived during a fling with Joy’s mum in 1991.
      A French court ordered Ginola to take a DNA test confirming paternity three times but he always refused.
      Under French law, he was then automatically declared the father.
      Ginola was ordered to pay €450 (£345) a month in child support until Joy turned 18.
      Her mum Joelle Pinquier, 56, was working as a secretary in Brest, where Ginola was playing for the local club, when they met.
      He went on to play for Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Everton.
      He was also capped 17 times by France before retiring in 2002.
      Ginola continues to work as a commentator in England and France and was one of the biggest stars of the 21st series of I’m a Celebrity, where he finished fourth.
      Joy said: “Mum had no idea he was married — he must have hidden his wedding ring in his pocket. I found out that he was my dad when I was six years old.
      “I remember we were playing a child’s game with a sticker album and when I came to his photo, I drew a heart on it.
      “That’s when my mother said to me: ‘I have a secret to tell you about that man, but I will tell you about it when you are old enough to understand.’
      “I said, ‘Tell me now’ and kept insisting. Eventually, she admitted he was my father.
      “It was difficult to comprehend. I loved watching football and he was a magnificent player and such a big star in France.
      “I would watch him on television all the time and I was in awe of him. Not having him around, it felt like a huge hole in my life.
      “I couldn’t understand why he didn’t want to be my dad.
      “A father plays such a hugely important role for a little girl.
      “Anyone that misses that is going to have a hard time and my childhood was tough. I stayed with my grandparents in Paris a lot as my mother struggled to raise me alone and we didn’t have much money.
      “I missed my dad and I needed his love and his guidance, but he did not want to take responsibility or own up to his mistake.
      “He was told to have a DNA test by the court — the first time was when I was ten or 11 years old — but he refused.
      “He started paying child support when I turned 13, but still he refused to see me and I felt his absence more and more as I got older.”
      Joy laid eyes on her dad for the first time when she turned 15.
      She said: “He asked to meet me at a lawyer’s office in Marseille, to see if we looked alike, but at the last minute he changed his mind.
      “When I got to the lawyer’s office, he was already leaving.
      “We saw each other across a spiral staircase and he looked at me and smiled.
      “To me, it looked like a smirk. It was horrible. By the time I got home I was in floods of tears.”
      Joy’s next close encounter with her dad came in May 2016, when she was 22. Ginola, who had recently separated from Coraline, collapsed during a charity football game in the south of France that month.
      He had suffered a cardiac arrest and was clinically dead for eight minutes but survived because his friend and fellow footballer Frederic Mendy performed CPR.
      Ginola was airlifted to hospital in Monaco where surgeons performed a six-hour quadruple bypass.
      Joy drove 136 miles to the hospital from Marseille as soon as she heard the news.
      She said: “I didn’t want the first day I met my dad to be when he was dead.
      “I got as far as his room. The staff outside asked to see my ID then refused to let me in.
      “Later that year, I was watching one of the games at the Euros in France when David appeared as a commentator on the big screen. I immediately burst into tears.”
      It would be another five years before their next contact.
      Joy said: “After we first spoke on the phone, he would write to me on WhatsApp and say ‘Happy birthday’ and things like that.
      “It gave me hope, but he never ended his messages ‘Dad’, he always ended them ‘David’.
      “Also, he refused to apologise. He told me he was not sorry because he had told my mother that he did not want to have a child — he was very harsh about the situation. I now realise that I can’t force him to be my father.
      “I am not interested in his money and I never wanted to attack him publicly. I always felt it my responsibility to defend his reputation.
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      “But it’s got to a point where I feel a terrible anger and resentment towards my dad.
      “More than anything, I want to finally look him in the eye and ask why he treated me like he did.”
      Ginola enjoyed a successful career in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and EvertonCredit: Getty
      He appeared on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! in 2021 and later agreed to meet JoyCredit: PA More